According to data obtained exclusively by the CNN, a survey by the Comptroller General of the Union points out that the loss in the diversion of resources to Covid for states and municipalities can reach R$ 300 million.
During the pandemic, there was an increase in anti-corruption operations across the country. The year 2020 reached the highest number in the historical series, since 2003, with 97 operations, of which 47 related to funds to fight Covid, according to the study . In 2021, there were a further 57 operations, of which 31 involved pandemic money.
In an interview with CNN, the minister of the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU), Wagner Rosário, stated that the monitoring of the application of public resources destined to Covid-19 in the states and municipalities and also in the Union was carried out almost at the same time as the expenditure.
“We wanted to avoid any type of waste, unfortunately it was not possible. In some cases, investigations showed strong signs of corruption and misuse of public resources.
“In 2020 and 2021, the total potential loss (which stems from the unfolding of the investigations) due to deviations (in several areas) reaches more than R$753 million. Of this amount, R$299.6 million were diverted from funds to combat Covid, transferred to states and municipalities.
The amount analyzed by operations in contracts and tenders using Covid’s money is R$ 4.1 billion.
From 2019 to November 2021, the controllership carried out 210 special operations. 78 of them involved resources destined to fight the pandemic during the years 2020 and 2021. Most of the actions evaluated the management of federal resources transferred to states and municipalities and aimed to dismantle criminal organizations specialized in diverting public resources through passive and active corruption , administrative advocacy and money laundering.
Operations have taken place since April 2020 in the states of BA, MT, MA, ES, SP, RN, CE, PA, PB, AL, SE, PI, AC, GO, MG, AM, RJ, RR, TO, RO, PE, AP, RS, DF and were carried out with the help of the Federal Police, public ministries and other bodies.
FIGHTING CORRUPTION OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT BY CGU
- 2003: 1 special operation
- 2004: 3 special operations
- 2005: 3 special operations
- 2006: 8 special operations
- 2007: 8 special operations
- 2008: 13 special operations
- 2009: 12 special operations
- 2010: 26 special operations
- 2011: 25 special operations
- 2012: 27 special operations
- 2013: 21 special operations
- 2014: 21 special operations
- 2015: 32 special operations
- 2016: 53 special operations
- 2017: 68 special operations
- 2018: 39 special operations
- 2019: 58 special operations
- 2020: 97 special operations*
- 2021: 57 special operations**
*Of the 97 operations, 47 involve resources for Covid.
**Of the 57 operations, 31 involve resources for Covid.
International Anti-Corruption Day
This Thursday (9), in a ceremony at the Planalto Palace, the federal government presented measures to combat corruption. In addition to a bill to regulate lobbying, two more decrees were signed by President Jair Bolsonaro. One about publicizing the government’s public agenda and the other about improving the protection of civil servants who report cases of irregularities in public administration.
In December 2020, the federal government launched the Anti-Corruption Plan “with the objective of improving the mechanisms of prevention, detection and accountability for acts of corruption”, according to the government.
“The preparation of an anti-corruption plan with an execution schedule until 2025 demonstrates the federal government’s concern with the issue, with the correct application of resources and, in particular, with citizens who depend on this resource to access society’s most basic services, such as education, health and basic sanitation”, he stressed to CNN Wagner Rosario.
Reference: CNN Brasil
